


A Rat's Revelation

by Curiousscarletteyes



Category: No. 6 (Anime & Manga), No. 6 - All Media Types, No. 6 - Asano Atsuko
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Kitty Shion, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:09:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24914401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Curiousscarletteyes/pseuds/Curiousscarletteyes
Summary: His tail and ears were a common sight in No.6, but out here in the West Block, they earned him plenty of stares. His stark white hair and red eyes were odd enough already, but paired with his extra appendages, a target might as well have been painted on his back.
Relationships: Nezumi & Shion (No. 6), Nezumi/Shion (No. 6)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 92





	A Rat's Revelation

**Author's Note:**

> I've been playing a lot of FF14 lately and have been enjoying my time as a Miqo'te. So I thought why not write a small scenario with Shion having cat ears?

For once, silence blessed the underground room.

The lantern burned brightly above, its flame casting bright light across the small space. Various shadows danced along the walls, the dark corners where the light failed to reach like forbidden passageways that lead into the depths of the earth. Tsukiyo, Cravat, and Hamlet squeaked softly as they climbed up the couch and rested along the back of it, weary from their travels. The occasional whisper of a page being turned brushed the silence, and Nezumi was grateful for the focus he could grant to his novel. Usually, he had to read the same paragraph over and over, unable to decipher it whenever Shion spoke. 

Nezumi felt as if he should do something special to celebrate the occasion, but if he moved, he would wake Shion up, and then the blessed silence would be shattered by his companion’s ceaseless questions. Ever since the ivory-haired boy had joined him, it was rare for him to know a moment of peace. As soon as he walked through the door after returning home from work, he was interrogated, and no matter how much he said or how much information he gave, he never seemed to satisfy Shion’s insatiable curiosity.

_ How was your day? What play did you practice today? Are you hungry?  _

The questions were always the same, although occasionally Shion had a story to share about something that had happened earlier that day at Inukashi’s. He had grown accustomed to life in the West Block, always heading home with a dog, his safety ensured ever since he began working. The first time they had traveled to the hotel, Shion fearlessly kneeled in front of the steely guards, immediately passing the test set out for him. Nezumi was surprised he hadn’t been attacked- for more than one reason- but it wasn’t often that Shion held any hint of self-preservation.

In moments when he should have been cautious, he was dangerously open and honest. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to get himself killed one day. 

Nezumi’s debt had already been paid. He had saved Shion’s life in return for his own on that stormy night four years ago. 

But if something did happen to him. . .could he truly return to living down here alone? 

Nezumi looked down at the boy who had crawled onto him, having fallen asleep nearly midsentence about an hour earlier. Shion had been unusually clingy lately, but he was warm and the room had taken on a chill in the winter months. The space heater was adequate, but it couldn’t beat the heat that another body has offered.

_ Living people are warm. _

Occasionally, Nezumi would run his fingers through Shion’s hair as he slept. It was soft, far softer than it had a right to be, and the touch always seemed to help Shion sleep. If he was having a nightmare, the gentle shifting of fingers through his hair soothed him, chasing whatever monstrosities he faced in his sleep away. Yet, despite all the light contact he had shared, Nezumi had never touched Shion’s feline ears.

He understood they were off-limits, even if they had never discussed the topic at length.

His tail and ears were a common sight in No.6 but out here in the West Block, they earned him plenty of stares. His stark white hair and red eyes were odd enough already but paired with his extra appendages, a target might as well have been painted on his back. They were a sign of the elite, of the sheltered and privileged citizens who lived in No.6. Some of the unlucky people out here had them, but there was a stark difference between those who had been abandoned by the city and those who wandered out here looking for entertainment. 

Shion had been newly exiled in comparison, but he still had the bright-eyed innocence of those who resided in No.6. No matter what he encountered out here, he still managed to hold onto his optimism.

He was  _ naive. _

Even so...

Nezumi sometimes couldn’t help but watch as Shion’s ears and tail moved of their own accord, often a clear and obvious indication of how he was feeling. His tail swished back and forth whenever he set about organizing the books, a clear sign that he was thinking. It usually made slight adjustments to help keep him balanced, and when he got really excited, it tended to move rapidly and knock things over. When he was frightened or on the rare occasion, arguing with Nezumi, it puffed up or lashed about, his ears flattening against his head. And sometimes, it would curl just a bit at the end, usually when he was around Nezumi.

He had a feeling he knew what the subtle movement meant, but he wouldn’t dare ever speak his theory aloud.

At the moment, Shion was dreaming. The tip of his tail moved a bit every now then, his ears in a resting position. Were they as soft as his hair, or even softer? What if they were rough under all that hair- or even better, smooth? Inukashi had said that they were probably as soft as dog ears, yielding to touch. 

Nezumi hesitated for a long time before he closed his book and set it aside. After taking a few more moments to ensure Shion was truly asleep, he cautiously reached over to touch them, and waited to see if the boy above him would awaken. 

He held his breath for a few long seconds...five...ten…

And still nothing. No reaction, no movement, no opening of his bright scarlet eyes.

Deeming the situation safe, with little risk of getting caught, Nezumi gently began to rub Shion’s ears. A low purr erupted from his companion. 

He stiffened immediately, not having expected the sound, almost entirely sure that Shion would awaken and question his intentions. 

But he remained asleep and Nezumi continued to rub them, starting to enjoy the purr that had slowly grown in volume. He wasn’t sure how the sound didn’t wake his companion, Shion only moving to bury his face further in Nezumi’s stomach, murmuring softly in his sleep. 

Was this something that only those who were intimate with another were allowed to do? Was he committing a grievous fault by touching them without granted permission? Nezumi couldn’t be sure, and he had a feeling that Shion wouldn’t have cared, even it was considered as something as bad as a  _ sin.  _

He had committed enough of them already. What was one more added to the list? 

Maybe one day he would ask Shion if he could touch them while he was awake. For now…this would be enough.


End file.
